特朗普大力打擊東南亞作為中國替代者的地位 (2/2)

 Recently The New York Times reported the following:

Trump Took a Wrecking Ball to Southeast Asia’s Role as an Alternative to China (2/2)

Punishing tariffs on Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and others in the region threaten their position as major manufacturing hubs for the American market.

By Alexandra Stevenson Reporting from Hong Kong

April 3, 2025

Updated 10:04 a.m. ET

(continue)

The United States is Vietnam’s largest export market, accounting for more than 30 percent of its total exports, including consumer electronics, smartphones, garments and footwear and wood furniture. Around a third of U.S. footwear was made in the country last year, making it the largest exporter of shoes to the United States. Nike, the sportswear brand, produces about 50 percent of its footwear in Vietnam.

Vietnam’s prime minister, Pham Minh Chinh, held an emergency cabinet meeting with his top ministers on Thursday to discuss how to respond to the tariffs. Other government agencies convened to try to understand how the Trump administration tariffs were calculated and how they would be applied. Companies and business associations, many of which had anticipated a tariff of 10 percent, expressed hope that the government could still hold talks with the Trump administration to reduce the levy.

“I was horrified when I saw the tariff numbers on the chart,” said Hong Sun, chairman of a South Korean business association in Vietnam, whose members includes the consumer electronics companies Samsung and LG.

“We can only hope that the Vietnamese government can help us weather this tsunami,” he said.

In Thailand, the government emphasized that it was ready to negotiate and “engage in dialogue” with Washington. But it also encouraged companies to “seek new potential markets” in the face of the 36 percent tariffs levied on goods going to the United States, its biggest export market.

For American business owners such as Patrick Soong, who helps U.S. companies to design and make their products in the region, the tariffs on Thursday create uncertainty. His clients make everything from luggage to camera accessories to medical devices.

Mr. Soong and his company, Allitra, spent months looking for alternatives to China for his clients after Mr. Trump was re-elected last November. But on Thursday he was already making plans to move some production out of Thailand and Vietnam.

Mr. Soong planned to visit new factories in the Philippines with the idea of potentially moving some manufacturing there. Mr. Trump imposed new tariffs of 17 percent on the Philippines, less than half the duty he placed on Thailand and nearly a third lower than on Vietnam.

“I was planning on moving more product to Thailand," said Mr. Soong.

“I was looking at it as a next bet,” he said. “That has been disrupted.”

(Damien Cave and Tung Ngo contributed reporting from Ho Chi Minh City, and Muktita Suhartono and Sui-Lee Wee from Bangkok.)

Translation

特朗普大力打擊東南亞作為中國替代者的地位 (2/2)

對越南、柬埔寨、泰國和該地區其他國家徵收懲罰性關稅以威嚇它們作為美國市場主要製造中心的地位。

（繼續）

美國是越南最大的出口市場，佔其出口總額的30%以上，包括消費性電子產品、智慧型手機、服裝和鞋類以及木製家具。去年，美國約有三分之一的鞋類是在中國生產的，中國是美國最大的鞋類出口國。運動服飾品牌Nike約 50% 的鞋類產品在越南生產。

越南總理 Pham Minh Chinh 週四與各高級部長召開緊急內閣會議，討論如何應對關稅。其他政府機構召開會議，試圖了解特朗普政府的關稅是如何計算以及如何實施。許多企業和商業協會期望10%關稅，他們表示希望政府仍能與特朗普政府進行談判，以降低關稅。

越南一家韓國商業協會會長Hong Sun表示:「當我看到圖表上的關稅數字時，我感到震驚」，該協會的成員包括消費性電子公司三星和 LG。

他說:「我們只能希望越南政府能夠幫助我們渡過這場海嘯」。

在泰國，政府強調已準備好與華盛頓進行談判和「對話」。但面對中國對最大出口市場美國徵收 36% 關稅的威脅，中國政府也鼓勵企業「尋找新的潛在市場」。

對於像Patrick Soong這樣幫助美國公司在該地區設計和生產產品的美國企業擁有者來說，週四的關稅帶來了不確定性。他的客戶生產各種產品，從行李箱到相機配件到醫療設備。

去年 11 月特朗普再次當選後，Soong先生和他的公司 Allitra 花了數月時間為客戶尋找中國的替代方案。但周四他已開始製定計劃，將部分生產轉移出泰國和越南。

Soong 先生計劃參觀菲律賓的新工廠，以考慮將部分製造業轉移到那裡。特朗普對菲律賓徵收了 17% 的新關稅，不到對泰國徵收的關稅的一半，比對越南徵收的關稅低近三分之一。

Soong 先生說: 「我計劃將更多產品運往泰國」。

他說：“我把它看作是下一個賭注” ;“這已經被打亂了。”

So, for a long time, countries like Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand have worked to turn themselves into alternatives to China for factories making goods that eventually sold in the United States. That will be changed after President Trump imposes high tariffs at countries in Southeast Asia. This decision by Trump is a blow to American companies that depend on factories in the region. Apparently, price of imported goods in the US will increase and inflation in the country will go up. While the tariffs may induce some overseas factories to move to the US, I am wondering whether Trump fully knows its negative effect and impact on the US economically and on its global allies politically.

特朗普大力打擊東南亞作為中國替代者的地位 (1/2)

 Recently The New York Times reported the following:

Trump Took a Wrecking Ball to Southeast Asia’s Role as an Alternative to China (1/2)

Punishing tariffs on Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and others in the region threaten their position as major manufacturing hubs for the American market.

By Alexandra Stevenson Reporting from Hong Kong

April 3, 2025

Updated 10:04 a.m. ET

For years, countries like Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand have worked to turn themselves into alternatives to China for factories making the bags, electronics, shoes and auto parts that eventually end up in the United States.

That is now poised to change after President Trump on Wednesday aimed his most punishing tariffs at countries in Southeast Asia.

The news came as a hammer blow to American companies that have come to depend on factories in the region amid growing U.S.-China trade tensions. Some were asking: Where to now?

“This is much worse than what most of us had anticipated,” said Sonal Varma, chief economist for Asia excluding Japan at Nomura, the Japanese bank.

There were no illusions that any one country in Southeast Asia would be spared, but the size of the tariffs was a shock, as many of these countries are trade partners and allies with the United States.

Singapore, a close partner of the United States, said it was disappointed by the imposition of 10 percent tariffs despite a free-trade agreement with the United States and said that it would engage with the United States to understand how it calculated the tariffs.

Vietnam and Cambodia were singled out with new tariffs of 46 percent and 49 percent — among the steepest meted out to any country in the world, not accounting for earlier tariffs on specific sectors and countries such as China. In Thailand and Indonesia, the tariffs were high too, at 36 percent and 32 percent.

Mr. Trump had not previously given much air to concerns about the region, unlike his lengthy tirades against countries like China and Mexico, said Priyanka Kishore, an economist in Singapore and the founder of Asia Decoded, a consulting firm. “And then bam, Southeast Asia gets hit really hard,” she said.

The tariffs on Vietnam were especially harsh and could have long lasting effects on global trade because of how important the country has become as a substitute to manufacturing in China. “I’m still wrapping my head around it,” said Ms. Kishore.

Together with Mexico, Vietnam has been the biggest beneficiary of shifting global supply chains in recent years, as companies moved their factories out of neighboring China because of rising costs and growing tensions between the U.S. and China. The boom sent Vietnam’s trade surplus with the United States ballooning to $123.5 billion in 2024, the third highest after China and Mexico.

Initially, much of that trade was from companies rerouting products from China into Vietnam before exporting them to the United States. But in recent years, more of that trade has been driven by products made in Vietnam, as companies built new factories in the country and tried to replicate much of the China supply chain.

(to be continued)

Translation

特朗普大力打擊東南亞作為中國替代者的地位 (1/2)

對越南、柬埔寨、泰國和該地區其他國家徵收懲罰性關稅以威嚇它們作為美國市場主要製造中心的地位。

多年來，越南、柬埔寨和泰國等國家一直致力於將自己打造成中國的替代國家，生產物品容器、電子產品、鞋子和汽車零件，這些產品最終銷往美國。

特朗普總統週三對東南亞國家徵收最嚴厲的關稅後，這種情況即將改變。

在中美貿易緊張局勢加劇之際，這一消息對依賴該地區工廠的美國公司來說是一個沉重的打擊。有人問：接下來去哪裡？

日本野村證券（Nomura）日本以外亞洲地區首席經濟學家 Sonal Varma 表示： “這比我們大多數人預期的要糟糕得多。”

沒有人幻想東南亞任何一個國家能倖免，但關稅的規模令人震驚，因為其中許多國家都是美國的貿易夥伴和盟友。

美國的親密合作夥伴新加坡表示，儘管與美國簽訂了自由貿易協定，但新加坡對美國仍徵收 10% 的關稅感到失望，並表示將與美國接觸，了解如何計算關稅。

越南和柬埔寨被單獨列為被徵收 46% 和 49% 的新關稅的國家，這是全球被徵收最高額度的關稅之一，不包括先前對特定行業和中國等國家徵收的關稅。泰國和印尼的關稅也很高，分別為36%和32%。

新加坡經濟學家、顧問公司 Asia Decoded 的創辦人 Priyanka Kishore 表示，與針對中國和墨西哥等國的長篇大論不同，特朗普此前並沒有對這區域太多關注。她說: 「然後突然東南亞就遭受了嚴重打擊」。

對越南徵收的關稅尤其嚴厲，並且可能對全球貿易產生長期影響，因為越南已成為中國製造業的重要替代者。 Kishore 女士說:「我還在理解這個問題」。

近年來，由於成本上升和中美關係緊張加劇，企業紛紛將工廠遷出鄰近的中國，越南和墨西哥成為全球供應鏈轉移的最大受益者。經濟繁榮導致越南對美國的貿易順差在 2024 年激增至 1,235 億美元，僅次於中國和墨西哥，位居第三。

最初，大部分貿易都是由企業將產品從中國轉運到越南，然後再出口到美國。但近年來，隨著企業在越南建立新工廠並試圖複製大部分中國供應鏈，越來越多的貿易是由越南製造的產品所推動。

（待續）

機構分析師表示解決美國海軍造船問題應從工人開始 (2/2)

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Fixing the US Navy's shipbuilding problems starts with the workers, agency analysts say (2/2)

Business Insider - Chris Panella

Sun, March 16, 2025 at 4:17 a.m. PDT·4 min read

(continue)

Oakley's statement to lawmakers this week, which featured information from the GAO's study on Navy shipbuilding, said that shipyards are largely struggling to replace the loss of experienced, skilled workers with new ones.

This issue applies, too, to white-collar shipbuilders like designers, naval architects, and engineers who "can take other jobs," Ronald O'Rourke, a naval affairs analyst with the Congressional Research Service, said.

There is also overlap with maintenance and repair yards. Oakley noted that the Navy's strategy has to focus on that alongside building, as they're inseparable and face similar issues, especially with regard to labor.

Some major US shipbuilders, especially those working on top US Navy submarines and surface ships, have pointed out the differences between their workforces today and 30 years ago: they're having trouble hiring people and keeping experienced workers.

They've also spoken to the overlap between these labor issues and other problems in shipbuilding. The Navy has often had inconsistent demand signals for its programs, which leaves industry in an uncertain place for hiring and maintaining workers.

US commercial and military shipbuilding problems are a priority in Washington right now. President Donald Trump has announced plans to create a White House office dedicated to the issue, and both his pick for Navy secretary and his defense secretary have highlighted the focus on shipbuilding.

The urgency is especially felt amid China's continued shipbuilding dominance. China boasts the largest shipbuilding industry in the world, vastly overshadowing the US, with blurred lines between its commercial and military yards.

As the US continues to prioritize meeting China's rise and the state of great power competition, shipbuilding has come to the forefront as a potential problem for the American military should the US and China clash at sea.

As it stands, the Navy's plans to continue building and maintaining its fleet will come at a hefty price tag. The US Congressional Budget Office said earlier this year it expected the Navy, based on the service's 2025 shipbuilding plan, to need about $40 billion each year through 2054.

But due to infrastructure and workforce limitations, the GAO said, "none of the seven shipbuilders that construct Navy battle force ships are currently positioned to meet the Navy's ship delivery goals."

Translation

機構分析師表示解決美國海軍造船問題應從工人開始 (2/2)

（繼續）

Oakley 本周向立法者發表的聲明引用了美國政府問責署關 (GAO)於海軍造船業的研究信息，聲明中表示，造船廠在很大程度上難以用新工人來取代流失的有經驗、熟練的工人。

美國國會研究服務處海軍事務分析師 Ronald O'Rourke說，這一問題同樣適用於設計師、船舶建築師和工程師等「可以從事其他工作」的白領船舶建造者。

它也與維修和修理場有重疊。Oakley指出，海軍的戰略必須把這些一併重點放在建設上，因為它們密不可分，而且面臨類似的問題，特別是在勞動力方面。

美國主要造船廠，特別是致力於給美國海軍頂級潛艇和水面艦艇服務的造船廠，指出了今天的勞動力與30年前的差異：他們在招募人員和留住有經驗的工人方面遇到了困難。

他們也談到了勞工問題與造船業其他問題的重疊。海軍的需求計劃訊息經常不一致，這導致該行業在僱用和留住工人方面處於不確定的境地。

美國商用和軍用船舶建造問題是華盛頓目前的首要任務。特朗普總統已宣布計劃在白宮設立一個專門處理這一問題的辦公室，他挑選的海軍部長和國防部長都強調了對造船業的關注。

在中國繼續保持造船業主導地位的背景下，這種緊迫性顯得尤為明顯。中國擁有世界上最大的造船業，遠遠超過美國，其商業和軍用造船廠之間的界線非常模糊。

隨著美國繼續優先應對中國的崛起​​和與大國競爭，一旦美國和中國在海上發生衝突，造船業顯得引人注意成為了美國軍方面臨的潛在問題。

按照目前的情況，海軍繼續建造和維護其艦隊的計劃將花費高昂的價錢。美國國會預算辦公室今年稍早表示，根據海軍 2025 年造船計劃，預計到 2054 年海軍每年將需要約 400 億美元。

但美國政府問責局表示，由於基礎設施和勞動力的限制， “建造海軍戰鬥艦艇的七家造船廠目前都無法滿足海軍的艦艇交付目標。”

              So, the American shipbuilding industry is facing severe issues, primarily in improving its workforce that start with providing competitive wages, quality-of-life improvements, and retention of skilled employees.  The Navy's plans to continue building and maintaining its fleet will be very expensive. Apparently, the US has to find new money to support its navy.

Note:

1. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent agency whose mission is to "provide Congress with timely information that is objective, fact-based, nonpartisan, non-ideological, fair, and balanced." Its reports give Congress information that can improve government operations and save taxpayers billions of dollars. (https://www.gao.gov/for-congress/reports)

機構分析師表示解決美國海軍造船問題應從工人開始 (1/2)

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Fixing the US Navy's shipbuilding problems starts with the workers, agency analysts say (1/2)

Business Insider - Chris Panella

Sun, March 16, 2025 at 4:17 a.m. PDT·4 min read

The American shipbuilding industry is grappling with severe problems, none perhaps more crucial than the state of the workforce, naval affairs experts said this week.

Addressing the shipbuilding industry's workforce challenges, they explained, starts with competitive wages, quality-of-life improvements, and retention of skilled employees.

At a House Armed Service Committee Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee hearing, members and witnesses talked about some of the woes facing US shipbuilders, such as the smaller industrial base and erratic demand signals from the Navy, and how these long-standing challenges are affecting top Navy programs.

"To say this plainly, we must act now," said Sen. Trent Kelly, the subcommittee chairman.

"Whether through changes to our procurement processes, stronger industrial base investments, or cultural shifts within shipbuilding program offices," the Mississippi Republican said, "we need to make these decisions sooner rather than later."

A range of topics were discussed during the hearing, but the problems relating to shipbuilding workers were center stage.

The consensus among witnesses like Eric Labs, senior analyst for naval forces and weapons with the Congressional Budget Office, and Shelby Oakley, the director of contracting and national security acquisitions with the Government Accountability Office, was that the starting point for fixing US shipbuilding issues is investing in the workforce.

"In my view, nothing is more important than addressing the critical labor shortages that afflict all the shipbuilding and public maintenance yards," Labs said. Recruitment has been low, and retention difficult, especially in trades such as welding, ship fitters, and pipe fitters.

The primary solution brought up was higher wages. Worker pay isn't competitive enough, experts argued, especially for what can be a demanding job, meaning potential workers are opting for employment at retail outlets and other places. There's a decline in interest in manufacturing jobs and not enough investment in fixing that.

Other related problems are improving the quality of life and working conditions in the yards, cheaper housing, and more benefits. Upping automation in shipyards, as well as better worker training, too, were included.

There have been proposals put forward for better pay, as that's been a focus for industry and the Navy, but the challenges aren't easily solved. Higher wages invite entry-level workers, experts said, but then those yards must retain those skilled workers and invest in their careers.

(to be continued)

Translation

機構分析師表示解決美國海軍造船問題應從工人開始 (1/2)

 

海軍事務專家們本週表示，美國造船業正面臨嚴重的問題，其中最關鍵的或許就是勞動力狀況。

他們解釋說，解決船舶製造業的勞動力挑戰首先要有競爭力的薪資、改善生活品質和留住熟練的員工。

在眾議院軍事委員會海上力量和兵力投送小組委員會的聽證會上，議員和證人談到了美國造船商面臨的一些困境，例如工業基礎較小、海軍發出的需求信號不穩定，以及這些長期存在的挑戰如何影響海軍頂級項目。

小組委員會主席 Trent Kelly 參議員說: 「坦白說，我們必須立即採取行動」。

這位密西西比州共和黨人表示： “無論是通過改變我們的採購流程、加強工業基礎投資，還是造船項目辦公室內部的文化轉變，我們都需要儘早做出這些決定。”

聽證會上討論了一系列主題，但有關造船工人的問題成為焦點。

美國國會預算辦公室海軍力量與武器高級分析師 Eric Labs, 和美國政府問責局承包與國家安全收購主管Shelby Oakley 等證人的共識是，解決美國造船問題的起點是投資於勞動力。

Labs說： “在我看來，沒有什麼比解決困擾所有造船和公共維修廠的嚴重勞動力短缺問題更重要。”  招聘人數一直很低，而且很難留住人才，特別是在焊接、船舶裝配工和管道裝配工等行業。

提出的主要解決方案是提高工資。專家認為，工人的薪水不夠有競爭力，特別是對於要求高的工作來說，這意味著潛在的工人會選擇在零售店和其他地方就業。人們對製造業職位的興趣正在下降，而去解決這個問題的投資卻不夠。

其他相關問題包括改善船塢裡的生活質素和工作條件、提供更便宜的住房以及提供更多的福利。其中還包括提高造船廠的自動化程度以及加強工人培訓。

已經有人提出了提高薪資的建議，因為這是工業界和海軍關注的重點，但這些挑戰並不容易解決。專家表示，更高的工資可以吸引初級工人，但船廠必須留住這些技術工人，並對他們的職業生涯進行投資。

（待續）

美國開始在澳洲戰略海岸部署潛艦部隊 - 基於AUKUS聯盟

 Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

US starts to build submarine presence on strategic Australian coast under AUKUS

Sun, March 16, 2025 at 7:50 a.m. PDT·3 min read

By Kirsty Needham

PERTH (Reuters) - In the control room of the American Virginia class attack submarine USS Minnesota, off the Western Australian coast, sonar operators adjust to the chatter of dolphins in new waters where the U.S. submarine presence will soon grow significantly.

On a training exercise from its home port in Guam, USS Minnesota is a forerunner to four Virginia class submarines that will be hosted at a Western Australian naval base from 2027, under the AUKUS partnership to transfer nuclear submarine capability to Australia.

Crew use video game joysticks to interrogate screen images from a photonic mast that has replaced a periscope. Life aboard can mean up to 100 days without seeing sunlight, and intermittent communication with families via email to maintain stealth.

Commanding officer Jeffrey Corneille says the Virginia class submarine is "the most advanced warship in the world".

"If someone wakes up and they say 'Is today the day?', we make sure that they say 'Maybe not'," he says, describing its deterrent role.

Around 50-80 United States navy personnel will arrive by the middle of the year at Western Australia's HMAS Stirling base, which is undergoing an A$8 billion ($5 billion) upgrade to prepare for the "Submarine Rotational Force West", Australian officials have said.

In two years, those numbers will swell to hundreds of U.S. navy personnel and support crew.

The location of HMAS Stirling, closer to Asia and the Indian Ocean than the U.S. Pacific fleet headquarters in Hawaii, is strategically important to the United States, said Peter Dean, director of Foreign Policy and Defence at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.

"Defending the Indian Ocean against rising Chinese capabilities and power is important," he said.

The Virginia submarine program has been exempted from Pentagon budget cuts as the Trump administration focuses less on the Middle East and Europe, and more on the Indo Pacific, he said.

The Trump administration's number three Pentagon official, Elbridge Colby, told a U.S. Senate confirmation hearing this month the attack submarines are "absolutely essential" for making the defence of Taiwan viable, and production rates must be lifted to first meet U.S. needs and also to fulfill its obligations to sell submarines to Australia under the AUKUS pact.

The USS Minnesota moved its home port from Hawaii to the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, closer to Taiwan and the only forward-deployed U.S. submarine base, in November.

A Chinese navy task group that circumnavigated Australia in February and March, holding unprecedented live fire drills off the east coast that disrupted commercial airlines, before passing Western Australia to coincide with the USS Minnesota's port call and heading into the Indian Ocean, has highlighted China's ambition to operate more frequently in Australia's neighbourhood, Australian officials said.

Under AUKUS, Australia’s most expensive defence project, Australia will buy two used Virginia class submarines next decade, and build a new class of nuclear powered submarine with Britain, to replace its ageing diesel powered fleet.

In preparation, there are 115 Australians in the U.S. nuclear navy training pipeline or on Virginia submarines, plus 130 training for nuclear submarine maintenance at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, U.S. navy officials said.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Perth; editing by Giles Elgood)

Translation

美國開始在澳洲戰略海岸部署潛艦部隊 - 基於AUKUS聯盟

珀斯（路透社）— 在西澳大利亞海岸附近的美國弗吉尼亞級攻擊潛艇明尼蘇達號的控制室裡，聲納操作員正在適應新海域海豚的鳴叫，美國潛艇的出現將很快地顯著增加。

明尼蘇達號核潛艇正在關島母港進行訓練演習，它是四艘弗吉尼亞級潛艇的前身。根據 AUKUS 合作夥伴關係，將核潛艇能力轉移給澳洲, 將於 2027 年在西澳大利亞海軍基地作客。

機組人員使用電玩操縱桿, 向取代潛望鏡的光子桅杆的螢幕影像獲取信息用。在船上的生活意味著長達 100 天都見不到陽光，並且只能透過電子郵件與家人斷斷續續地溝通以保持隱密。

指揮官Jeffrey Corneille 說，維吉尼亞級潛艦是「世界上最先進的軍艦」。

當他在描述其威懾作用時說道 :“如果有人醒來後問 ‘今天是那一天嗎？’，我們會確保他們會說 ‘也許不是’ ” 。

澳洲官員表示，約有 50 至 80 名美國海軍人員將於今年年中抵達西澳大利亞的皇家海軍(HMAS) Stirling基地，該基地正在進行耗資 80 億澳元（50 億美元）的升級，為「西部潛艇輪換部隊」做準備。

兩年內，這一數字將增加到數百名美國海軍人員和支援人員。

雪梨大學美國研究中心外交政策與國防問題主任 Peter Dean 表示，HMAS Stirling 基地的位置比位於夏威夷的美國太平洋艦隊總部更靠近亞洲和印度洋，對美國具有重要的戰略意義。

他說： “保衛印度洋抵禦中國不斷增強的能力和力量至關重要。”

他說，由於特朗普政府的重點不再是中東和歐洲，而是更關注印度太平洋地區，維吉尼亞潛艇計劃免受五角大廈預算削減的影響。

特朗普政府五角大廈官員三號人物 Elbridge Colby 本月在美國參議院的確認聽證會上表示，攻擊型潛艇對於保衛台灣 “絕對必要” ，必須提高潛艇生產率，首先滿足美國的需求，同時也要履行其根據 AUKUS 條約向澳大利亞出售潛艇的義務。

11 月，明尼蘇達號潛水艇將其母港從夏威夷遷至美國太平洋領土關島，該地更靠近台灣，也是美國唯一的前線部署潛艇基地。

澳洲官員稱，中國海軍編隊於 2 月和 3 月繞澳大利亞航行，在東海岸舉行了史無前例的實彈演習，導致商業航班中斷，其艘驅逐艦經過西澳大利亞，然後與美國海軍明尼蘇達號驅逐艦的停靠港口同步，再駛入印度洋，這凸顯了中國在澳洲週邊地區開展更頻繁活動的抱負。

根據澳洲最昂貴的國防計劃 AUKUS，澳洲將在未來十年購買兩艘二手維吉尼亞級潛艦，並與英國共同建造一艘新型核動力潛艦，以取代其老化的柴油動力艦隊。

美國海軍官員說，在準備階段，有 115 名澳洲人在美國的核海軍系統性訓練流程中，或在維吉尼亞號潛艇上接受訓練，另外還有 130 名澳洲人在夏威夷珍珠港接受核潛艇維護培訓。

       So, under AUKUS, Australia will buy two used Virginia class submarines next decade, and build a new class of nuclear-powered submarine with Britain. Meanwhile around 50-80 United States navy personnel will arrive at Western Australia's HMAS Stirling base. Apparently, Australia’s navy force is expanding in response to the challenges from China.

Note:

1. AUKUS , also styled as Aukus, is a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States intended to "promote a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable." This partnership involves two lines of effort referred to as pillars. Pillar 1 focuses on Australia acquiring nuclear-powered attack submarines and the rotational basing of US and UK nuclear-powered attack submarines in Australia. Pillar 2 is about the collaborative development of advanced capabilities in six technological areas: undersea capabilities, quantum technologies, artificial intelligence and autonomy, advanced cyber, hypersonic and counter-hypersonic capabilities, and electronic warfare; and in two broader functional areas: innovation and information sharing.(Wikipedia)

2. HMAS Stirling is a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base that is part of Fleet Base West situated on the west coast of Australia, on the Indian Ocean. The base is located on Garden Island in the state of Western Australia, near the city of Perth.

Genetically modified pig kidney transplant successfully completed, a major step forward for xenotransplantation - the US (2/2)

 Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

遺伝子改変したブタの腎臓移植に成功、「異種移植」大きな前進　米

CNN 2025.03.08 Sat posted at 18:30 JST

(continue)

移植成功の鍵を握る遺伝子操作

動物の臓器を人間に移植する「異種移植（ゼノトランスプランテーション）」は、長い間、ＳＦの世界のものと考えられてきた。しかし、米国ではブタを使った異種移植がこの３年間で６例実施されている。これらのブタは、その臓器がより人体に適合するように遺伝子操作されている。

アンドリュースさんへの移植手術を行ったマサチューセッツ総合病院の医療チームは、マサチューセッツ州ケンブリッジに拠点を置くバイオテクノロジー企業、イージェネシスが開発した臓器を使用した。

科学者たちは、ＣＲＩＳＰＲと呼ばれる遺伝子操作技術を使って、ブタのＤＮＡを改変する。

イージェネシスの研究者たちは、拒絶反応や臓器の大きさ、さらに人への感染の恐れのあるレトロウイルスなど、多くの潜在的問題に対処するために６０以上の遺伝子操作を行っている。

大勢の患者にとって希望の光

アンドリュースさんは移植手術からわずか１週間で退院したが、引き続き経過観察が行われている。

週３回の血液検査に加え、複数の端末を使って医療チームが遠隔でアンドリュースさんのバイタルサインや心拍リズムを監視している。また人間の腎臓を移植した場合と同様に、拒絶反応を抑制するために、アンドリュースさんは生涯にわたって免疫抑制剤を服用する必要がある。

米国では３７００万人の成人が慢性腎疾患を抱えており、そのうち約８０万人が末期の腎不全を患っている。

ニューヨーク大学ランゴーン医療センターの移植外科医ジェイム・ロック医師によると、同センターでは毎年８万～１０万人の患者を腎臓移植の待機リストに登録するが、年間に実施する腎移植は２万５０００～２万８０００件にとどまるという。しかも、腎不全を患うすべての患者が待機リストに登録されるわけではない。

アンドリュースさんのように末期の腎疾患を患う患者にとって、この新たな臓器は全く予想していなかった明るい兆しだ。

「まさに一筋の希望の光だ」とアンドリュースさんは述べた。

Translation

Genetically modified pig kidney transplant successfully completed, a major step forward for xenotransplantation - the US (2/2)

CNN 2025.03.08 Sat posted at 18:30 JST

(continue)

Genetic manipulation held the key to successful transplantation

“Xenotransplantation”, the transplantation of animal organs into humans, had long been considered something of a science fiction story. However, six xenotransplantations using pigs had been performed in the US in the past three years. These pigs were genetically modified to make their organs more compatible with the human body.

The medical team at Massachusetts General Hospital who performed Andrews' transplant surgery used organs developed by eGenesis, a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Scientists used a genetic engineering technique called CRISPR to modify the pig's DNA.

eGenesis researchers had performed more than 60 genetic modifications to address many potential issues, including rejection, organ size, and even retroviruses that could infect humans.

A ray of hope for many patients

Andrews was released from the hospital just one week after the transplant, but remained under observation.

In addition to blood tests three times a week, Andrews' vital signs and heart rhythm were monitored remotely by a medical team using multiple devices. As with a human kidney transplant, Andrews would need to take immunosuppressants for the rest of his life to prevent rejection.

In the United States, 37 million adults had chronic kidney disease, of which about 800,000 suffered from final-stage renal failure.

Dr. Jayme Locke, a transplant surgeon at New York University Langone Medical Center, said the center put 80,000 to 100,000 patients on the kidney transplant waiting list each year, but performed only 25,000 to 28,000 kidney transplants annually. Furthermore, not all patients with kidney failure had been put on the waiting list.

For patients with final stage renal disease like Andrews, the new organ was an unexpected promising sign.

"It really is a ray of hope," Andrews said.

              So, Andrews has been on dialysis for about two years due to final-stage kidney disease. In February a pig kidney transplant performed on him was a success. This transplant surgery uses organs developed by eGenesis, a biotechnology company based in the US. For patients with final stage renal disease like Andrews, the new organ is an unexpected promising sign. I hope Andrews will start a new life with this pig kidney transplant, and his experience will benefit other patients with similar organ failure.

Note:

1. In its website eGenesis states that it is a biotechnology company committed to using its multiplex gene editing and genome engineering platform to transform solid organ and therapeutic cell transplantation for the treatment of serious diseases. (https://egenesisbio.com/about/)

Genetically modified pig kidney transplant successfully completed, a major step forward for xenotransplantation - the US (1/2)

 Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

遺伝子改変したブタの腎臓移植に成功、「異種移植」大きな前進　米 (1/2)

CNN

2025.03.08 Sat posted at 18:30 JST

 （ＣＮＮ） ６６歳のティム・アンドリュースさんにとって、それは生死に関わる問題だった。

アンドリュースさんは、末期の腎疾患のため、約２年にわたり透析を受けた。腎移植の待機リストに登録されていたが、アンドリュースさんの血液型が原因でドナー（臓器提供者）探しは困難を極めた。

腎移植の平均待機期間は、大半の医療センターで３～５年だが、血液型がＯ型の人の場合は、移植までの待機期間が１０年に及ぶこともあることが複数の研究で明らかになっている。

アンドリュースさんが長期透析により、向こう５年間生きられる確率はわずか３５％だ。医師たちは、アンドリュースさんが今後５年以内に腎移植を受けられる可能性は約９％と予測していた。

そのため、マサチューセッツ総合病院の医師たちから、ブタの腎臓を使った実験的な移植を検討したらどうかと提案された時、アンドリュースさんに迷いはなかった。

「突然のことだが、もう暗闇の中にはいない。これから快方に向かう。自分はこれ（ブタの腎臓の移植）にかける」

アンドリュースさんは病院でのインタビューでそう述べた。

そして２月７日、マサチューセッツ総合病院の医師たちは、アンドリュースさんへのブタの腎臓移植が成功したと発表した。

１月２５日に行われたこの移植手術は、米食品医薬品局（ＦＤＡ）の拡大アクセス（一般にコンパッショネート・ユースと呼ばれる）制度を通じて実施された。この拡大アクセスは、死が切迫している病状の患者に、試験研究中の医療製品の使用を認める制度だ。

アンドリュースさんは、３人の患者を対象に行われる研究の最初の患者となる。また、現在世界でブタの腎臓の移植手術を受けて生存している２人目の人物となる。

同病院の腎移植部門の医療ディレクターを務めるレオナルド・リエラ医師は次のように述べた。

「今年、３人の患者を対象に実施されるこの研究は、命を救う腎移植を必要とする何千人もの患者にとって、異種移植が革新的な解決策として長期的に実現可能か否かを見極める重大な手掛かりとなるだろう」

(to be continued)

Translation

Genetically modified pig kidney transplant successfully completed, a major step forward for xenotransplantation - the US (1/2)

(CNN) For 66-year-old Tim Andrews, it was a matter of life and death.

Andrews had been on dialysis for about two years due to final-stage kidney disease. He was on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, but Andrews' blood type made it extremely difficult to find a donor (organ donor).

The average wait time for a kidney transplant was three to five years at most medical centers, but studies had shown that people with blood type O could wait as long as 10 years for a transplant.

Andrews' long-term dialysis gave him only a 35% chance of surviving the next five years. Doctors predicted that he had about a 9% chance of receiving a kidney transplant within the next five years.

So, when doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital suggested he consider an experimental pig kidney transplant, Andrews didn't hesitate.

"All of a sudden, I'm not in the dark anymore. I'm on my way to recovery. I'm going to do this [pig kidney transplant]."

Andrews said in an interview at the hospital.

And on February 7, doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital announced that Andrews' pig kidney transplant was a success.

The transplant, which took place on January 25, was performed through the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Expanded Access (commonly known as compassionate use) program. Expanded access allowed patients who were in a critical condition to use experimental medical products.

Andrews would be the first patient in the three-patient study. He would also be the second person in the world to have survived a pig kidney transplant.

Dr. Leonardo Riella, medical director of kidney transplantation at the hospital, said:

"This study, which will be conducted on three patients this year, will provide important clues to whether xenotransplantation may be a viable and long-term solution for the thousands of patients who need life-saving kidney transplants."

(to be continued)